Babies Are Not Bears

There are many things a baby and a bear have in common, especially the baby and bear in this humorous story by author Linda Lodding. The baby and bear share many attributes that they think are unique only to them, such as how cute and cuddly they are or how they both enjoy playing peek-a-boo or even how much they enjoy reading books about each other. There are differences, though, that the baby and bear soon learn about each other after they spend so much time learning what they have in common. While the baby enjoys soft, soothing lullaby music, the bear enjoys banjo-strumming, bass-plucking, harmonica-blowing country music! As the comparing and contrasting go on and on, the baby and bear realize the truth about the phrase "babies are not bears", which is quite alright! Author Linda Lodding and illustrator Lara Dombret combine back-and-forth text with bright and captivating images to tell a story of a budding friendship between two unlikely characters. Their friendship develops over common likes and an understanding that each does not necessarily have to like everything the other likes. This story provides a great opportunity for educators to teach students the value of communication and learning to compare things that make certain people happy or sad. After reading the story aloud to a class, educators can dialogue with students or have them dialogue with each other on what makes them happy. Communities looking to bring members closer together can learn quite a bit from this sweet story about two unlikely friends. Even the most ferocious bear and the most timid baby can find common ground, whether it be playing games, singing songs, or even enjoying the same foods.